Shrimp

From Lunchplatter.com WIki

Table of contents

1 What is shirimp? 2 Where does it come from? 2.1 Imported 2.2 Domestic 3 Shrimp sizes 4 Shrimp species 5 Shrinkage

What is shirimp?

Shrimp is a delicious crustacean and is the most popular shellfish in North America. It is only second in the seafood market to canned tuna. There are 100´s of shrimp species, of these they can be divided into 2 classifications, warm water shrimp and cold water shrimp. A general rule is that the colder the water, the smaller and more succulent the shrimp.

Shrimp come in many varieties of colors which include reddish, light brown, pink, deep red, grayish white, yellow, grayish green and dark green. Because heat causes chemical changes, most shrimp shells will change color when cooked.

Shrimp has a lobster-like flavor at half the price. It is easier to cook than steak and is among the most versatile forms of animal protein.

Where does it come from?

Imported

About 3/4 of the shrimp eaten in the USA is imported from other countries; Ecuador, Sri Lanka, Thailand and China are among the biggest suppliers. Much of the imported shrimp is farm raised under a variety of conditions. Some farm raised shrimp eat only what the tide brings in, resulting in a watter and insepid texture, while others have supplements fed to them, giving them a meatier taste.

Domestic

There is an increasing number of domestic farm raised shrimp in the US now, though it does not yet make up the majority of the supply. Most wild shrimp is caught in the Gulf of Mexico or off the coast of California. Shrimp is caught in other areas such as Main or the carolinas, but the catches are quite small by national standards and, for the most part, consumed locally.

Shrimp sizes

The general size categorie shrimp fall into are:

• Colossal (10 or less per pound)
• Jumbo (11-15)
• Extra-Large (16-20)
• Large (21-30)
• Medium (31-35)
• Small (36-45)
• Miniature (100)

In the United States, jumbo and colossal shrimp are commonly called "Prawns", though the prawn is a different species.

Though the different sized shrimps will give you slight diffrences in taste and flavor, they can usually be substituted for one another.

Shrimp species

Only a few shrimp are likley to appear in a supermarket. These are generally the most common:

• Gulf White

• Mexican White

• Gulf pink or brown

• Black tiger

Shrinkage

The typical shrinkage is from 25% to 50%. In other words 1lb of shrimp will yield approximately 3/4lb to 1/2lb of cooked shrimp.